Process of hydro-electric smelting.



A. TOMMASINI. PROCESS OF HYDRO ELECTRIC SMELTING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.1, 1912.

Patented J an. 14, 1913.

Q Aliiio 221'0" immwm;

Inventor Witnesses Attorneys UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

ANTONIO'TOMMASINI, OF NEW YORK, 'N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 MARCELL'US E. THORNTON, OF HICKORY, NORTH CAROLINA.

PROCESS OF HYDRO-ELECTRIC SMELTING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan.14,191e.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTONIO ToMMAsrNI, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, New York city, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Process of Hydro-Electric Smelting, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a process of hydro-electric smelting, the object of the invention being the provision of a process by means of which the hydrogen reduction process is operated, and consists in the passage of very highly heated hydro-gen gas through a continually agitated mixture of iron or ore with proper fluxes, and then passing the gaseous products of the ensuing reaction through a jet or surface condenser, thereby condensing the vapor and retrieving the hydrogen gas which did not react.

In this process is employed a furnace in which the iron ore is intimately mixed with proper fluxes and is continuously agitated in the presence of highly heated hydrogen;

the hydrogen gives up a portion of its heat to the ore mixture and thereby brings it up to temperature of reaction; the molten iron and slag resulting from reaction flow into a crucible or reheat-er in which the iron is kept hot by electric currents induced therein, and the gaseous products of the reaction, consisting chiefly of hydrogen and water, vapor and'steam, are passed through a condenser thereby condensing the steam and vapor and conveying the hydrogen back to the holder. The hydrogen performs the double function of reducing agent and heat carrier to charge of ore and flux and surrounding container. to the hydrogen in a specially devised furnace to be subsequently described. There fore, this hydroelectric furnace is devlsed suitable bins containing ore and fluxes, and,

tofemploy electricity as the heating agent,

and hydrogen as the reducing or chemical agent. This hydro-electric furnace conslsts essentially of a rotatable inclined tubular hearth communicating at its upper end with a condenser for retrieving hydrogen; and at This heat is imparted its lower end communicating with a cruci ble or reheater for receiving the molten metal and slag from the hearth, and with an arc furnace for heating hydrogen before it reaches the hearth.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of invention herein disclosed can be made with in the scope of what is claimed, without'departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings, is illustrated a side elevation of a complete apparatus employed to carry this process into effect, portions of the apparatus being shown in section to clearly illustrate the interior construction thereof.

The apparatus superficially described in the present application is covered in detail in a co-pending application filed even date herewith, Serial No. 712,741.

The charge of ore and fluxing material in the bin 2, supported upon the frame work 1, passes through the hopper 3 into the chute 5, then through the casing 10 carrymg as a tight joint, into the tubular hearth A. The hearth is composed of a metallic cylindrical shell 13 lined with refractory material 14', and is so mounted that it rotates about an inclined axis. By virtue of thls rotation about an inclined axis the charge 1s moved and agitated toward the lower end of the hearth A. The hydrogen gas is heated in the arc furnace 22 to such a high temperature that when it reaches the charge in the hearth it gives up a portion of its heat to the charge and surrounding hearth and thus their temperature is raised to'the temperature of reaction. In thisv reaction the hydrogen com 35 j being situated a't the dischargesendiof'the much uncombined hydrogen will pass out of f the hearth with the super-heated steam. I To retrieve the hydrogen the gaseous products of the reaction pass from'the hearth into a' condenser 7 where the steam-is condensed and the hydrogen passesback to the holder. The molten iron and slags pass from the hearth A through the gas tight joint 15.17

into the crucible. or reheater 19 where the molten iron is kept hot by electriccurrents induced therein, as will be described; In the hearth the movement of the charge is so timed that the reaction takes place in the lower quarter of its length,' and the'reaction must be complete before: reaching the lower end of hearth A. Under no circumstances, must any of the charge enter the reheater 19. The hydrogen is heated in a separate furnace. 22 shown for convenience above the-reh'eater, in which is caused tobe established and maintained a long electric are, around and coming in contact' with which passes thehydrogen gas before admission to the hearth, thereby acquiring a very high temperature. The'charge passes.

.from the bin 2 through the hopper through the gate or valve 4, and through the chute 5 which passes through the casing 10 .into upper end of the hearth-A.

In the drawings is s'howni in detail sectional. view, the hydro en heating furnace 4 22 and the crucible or reheater 19.

Theheatin'g furnace 22 composed of a tubular chamber having aiffixed electrode 41 her 22 iscapped or surmountedfby a casing in theinsulating bushing 39, this electrode chamber; and'a movable-electrode 26-;car

ried by'-tl1e pist0n'27 of a pneumatic-or by draulie engine 25' situated at the-inlet end of the chamber. The inlet endofthe cham- ..'24 whichcarries a cylindeif-25Lfl-A piston 27 vinthe-cylinder 25 actuates the, rod 26 which passes through suitablestufling'boiies in the chamber 23, a vThe movable el'e'ctrode' 26 is carriedf b 1. this pis'tonrod 'ATh. detailed" valve Qfthel-P mfl .flnd fs'aid wl fi ably i connectedf-to the electrmmagnet? 1 34 'whlch is' -a'controlled. directly ior.- indirectly structure je'rein. setf'for'this .fully f described j the. eo'pen'ding to theie .mber' ea' where it comes in contact to; and release by." the: pungent-flowing; through. {the j m 'ai'n circuit 37- 38'.

=moyes {50 as to admit'pressure Qt'o' the, cylin-Z derijand'tqkausethe .-piston: 22f to move. the rod toward the" electrode; and

of the .bppli n r referred.

" The. rubber tube .30;

. j trthah d i rcjandjhenflipasses tlirough sham-. he' th T f ontrolsithe adnil some? ressurei' i enssidd 2 -'is opere;

- a sp e ii; baa-1.1a; ,elegtro inagnet 34 releases thevalve 32which" thereby. establish. a contact betweenthe elec-' trodes. When the circuit:37'38: is closed,

- the electric. current is established. therein,

and this-current directly "or indirectly-excites the electro magnet 3410 move the valve .W. d. thereby reestablish then- 4 for anyjreason, the above descrlbed cycle-of;

i The .crucibleor reheater 19 serves ceive the molten metal. and slag resulting from the reaction and also to maintain by electrical means the temperature .oflthemolten metal atany desired temperature, as

will be explained. The crucible or. reheat'er 19 consists of an annular-compartment 20 communicatingwith'the. hearth A" and the:

furnace 22. Interlinked with this compartment 20 is the laminated iron ring 42 which;

in turn is linked with the coil or solenoid43a The bottom of the annular compartment 20' consists of'a V-shaped'annular trough 21 for;

reasons which will presently appear:- When the molten metal passes from the hearth A into the crucible 19 it fall's'into. the-V-shaped annular trough 21 of compartment 20,. and

flowing around will form a ring of moltenv metal.- This ring of 'molte'nmeta-l 'will linkwith the irony rin 42 and thereby be inductively. related to t eI'excitingor primary coil "43. When analternatingcurrent of elec tricity flows in coil' 4:3 it causes to-be-estab li'sheda periodic magnetic flux in the ring.

.42; which periodic flux will-induce: electric currents in'the. molten metal ring lying at..-

the. bottom of 21 and linking withgthemagjnetized ring-v 42. These induced currents .cause .heat I to be generated within the mass of the molte'mring; andby arying, the in' tensity of theseinducedgcurrentsby means 0f V81 li2Lt-l.0n o'f the current-flowin' in the; @1143 any desired temperatnrecan r v tained in the molten-metal. It is import n that these secondaryior induced. currents in place as themolten metal be made; take 1;.soon' as" possible afterflthez'molten metal lea esthehearthA; anditobring this about 1a a.)impom'la that the moltenmetal flows .around jandtforms a closed-, ij'ing in the; trough: 21' as soon aspossible afterjhaving entered the reheater- 19. a :i-T he 1V shaped trough 21 of the compartment. 20?. allows a sma filof molten metal' to withijac-very; cross.- section and consequentlyfwith 6. e- 9 1 n quantity of; 'metaly'.

. i iedt gh y' w 'g e wh n-"m l with-only [a small} --fli eby=-& ow% i ring to formas' early."afijp ssible' after the molten metal starts .-t0enter. the reheater; vand astbe; induced electric currents tablished immediately upon the formation of this closed ring, and as it is plain that the V-shaped trough 21 expedites the formationof this molten metal ring, it follows that the V-shaped trough 21 is the means of allowing heat to be supplied to the molten metal at as early as possible a moment. after the molten metal enters the crucible or reheater 19,-this heat being supplied as above described by electrical means.

The joints between rotating and fixed members of this furnace are gas tight, and this condition is obtained by means of the elastic cylinder 15 which turns with the hearth A and the hollow metallic frame 16 which is built into and forms opening to the crucible 19. The elastic cylinder is composed of a series of metallic rings which are frustums of very flat cones and riveted together as shown. One end of this elastic cylinder 'is attached to the shell of the hearth and-the other end terminates in a ring with a planed face. This ring butts against and slides upon a corresponding planed face on the hollow frame 16. Any relative displacement between rotating and fixed members of this furnace due to changes of temperature or other causes is compensated by corresponding changes in the length of the elastic cylinder 15 and thereby any separation between rotating and fixed members is prevented and permanency of-gas tight joint accomplished.

The crucible or reheater 19 is mounted upon a frame C by means of the arch B.

The frame C is carried by rollers 44 which rest uponthe rails 45. The rails 15 are slightly inclined to insure a tendency on the part of the reheater' to move toward the hearth. The jack screws 40 serve to move the reheater away from hearth to allow of inspection and repairs in hearth and reheater. f No form of rotating means for rotating the tubular hearth A has been shown, such construction being well known and the means for rotating the same being a necessary adjunct. I

In employing the term super-heated hydrogen throughout the present specification,-

.the prefix super serves to indicate that the hydrogen is heated far above the melting point of the metal charge, such melting pomt of the charge being the datum or bench mark to which the word super refers. As the hydrogen gas is the agent employed as a carrier as.well as a reducing or chemical'agent, it is necessary that the temperature of the same begreatly above the melting point of the charge to be affected,

this excess being given up to the charge,-

thereby raising the temperature of' the charge to that necessary for reaction. As

for example, assuming that iron melts at 2700 Fahr'., the charge entering the hearth would be at the temperature of air or approximately 60 Fahr. Thus this charge must be heated to2700 Fahn, and in order to accomplish this with the heated hydrogen gas, the temperature of such gas should be raised to approximately 6500 Fahr., so that when it comes in contact with the charge at 60 Fahn, the charge will be affected by the super heated hydrogen 'as and raised to the melting temperature of 2700 Fahr, while at the same time the hydrogen by reason of having given up this heat to the charge, will be lowered to approximately 2700 F.

What is claimed is 2- l. The herein described process of smelting ore, consisting in subjecting the lower end of a descending column of ore and also the full column thereof throughout its length within a hearth to a heated current of reducing gas passing through the hearth in an opposite direction to the ore, condensing the moisture taken from the ore and carried by the reducing gas after passage through the hearth, retrieving the reducing gas that has failed to react during the passage through the hearth, and returning the reducing gas for subsequent cycles.

2. The herein described process of smelting ore, consisting in subjecting the lower end of a descending column of ore and also the full column thereof throughout its length, within a hearth, to a heated current ,of hydrogen passing through the hearth in an opposite direction to the ore, condensing the moisture removedfrom the ore from the hydrogen gas after its passage through the hearth, retrieving the hydrogen that has failed to react, and returning it for subsequent cycles.

3. The herein described process of ore reduction, consisting in subjecting a moving column of ore entering a hearth at atmospheric temperature to a current of hydrogen gas passed through and heated by an electric are before its contact withthe ore column, said hydrogen gas being heated to a temperature in excess of the melting temperature of the metal of the ore, condensing the moisture removed from the ore by the heated hydrogen gas and after passage from the hearth, retrieving the hydrogen gas that has failed to react after entering the ore column, and returning the hydrogen gas to the electric arc.

4:. The herein described process of ore reduction, consisting in subjecting a moving column of ore entering a hearth at atmospheric temperature to a current of hydrogen gas passed through and heated by an electric are before its cont-act with the ore column, said hydrogen gas being heated to a temperature in excess of the melting temperature of the metal of the ore, retrieving the hydrogen gas that has failed to react after entering the ore column, returning the hydrogen' gas to the electric arc, andconaeimy own, I have hereto afiixed my signadensing the lfiloisture 1extracted from bk'e tu-re in the presence of two witnesses. vore and carrie b the ydrogen gas at t e k exit of the h drogen gas fromtheore c01- O O YTOMMASINI' 5 umn'fand be ore subjection thereof to the' Witnesses:

electric arc. S. McLAREN,- v

In testimonythatl claim the foregoing. ERNEST ARMSTRONG. 

